When John Reid pressed the paw of a teddy bear, he heard a sound he never expected to hear again. It was his son Dakota’s heartbeat.
Dakota was 16 when a car crash changed his family’s world seven years ago. In the days that followed, John made a decision that still feels impossible to put into words, to pull Dakota off life support and donate his organs so others could have a chance to live. One of those people was Robert “Bob” O’Connor, the man who received Dakota’s heart.
Nearly a year later, Bob sent John a Build-A-Bear with a recording inside. That moment reopened grief and offered something else, too: proof that Dakota’s impact did not end where his family’s loss began.
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Dakota grew up surrounded by siblings, noise, and a loving father and stepmother
Image credits: John Allen Lee Reid
We spoke with John about Dakota's earlier years, and how that impacted the decision he made in the hospital: “I was the one who had to make the decisions. I was a single dad when I met my wife that I’m with now. He never saw her as a stepmom. It was always MOM, or he would call us brah, as in what’s up, brah! lol.”
From the beginning, John was the one making sure his son felt safe and seen
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As Dakota got older, his personality only got bigger
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“Dakota had type B hemophilia, and when I got to the hospital, it was too late. He was brain-dead. All the machines were going crazy, and three nurses were trying to keep him alive. We couldn’t even recognize him because his face was so swollen, and he was constantly bleeding from his nose and mouth. The nurses couldn’t keep up, so I took over, suctioning the blood out of his nose and mouth.”
He had a reputation for looking out for people and “rescuing a friend,” as John put it
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He was living the typical American high school dream
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“I asked the doctor to give him his medication to stop bleeding. They said no, it would not do anything, and insurance would not pay for it. I prayed hard about it. Then I saw a pamphlet lying under the chair I was sleeping in and heard God tell me that I need to do it. So I talked to them and signed to donate.”
But, in January 2019, a car crash changed everything
Image credits: John Allen Lee Reid
“All the machines were going crazy,” John remembers
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“When we came back to the room, the lady looked at the nurse and gave her the go-ahead. They gave him his medication. Twenty minutes later, his bleeding stopped, and all the machines got quiet. The swelling of his face went away, and I was able to recognize my boy. Never knew that it would happen. That is what happens when you listen to God. As I got to the entrance of the operating room, we had to say our final goodbyes.”
Doctors told the family there was no chance of recovery, and his father had to make a decision
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“I prayed hard about it,” John said about deciding to turn off his son's life support and sign him up as an organ donor
Image credits: John Allen Lee Reid
“As they rolled him away, I fell to my knees holding his blanket while our older kids and wife grabbed me. At that moment, I heard God speak. He said, 'Get up, son, that is only the flesh for he is with me.' I rose to my feet. God was with me every step of the way, and He still is.”
That choice meant Dakota could help others live
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One of those people was Bob O’Connor, who received Dakota’s heart
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Bob's wife Bonnie.
“Next day, I heard my niece tell me that a good friend of hers had a young son on dialysis. I asked the woman if I could donate a kidney to her. She said, 'Sure,' but the chances of being a match are 1 in a million. Turns out they were a match! Another God moment! Dakota was full of life and would do anything for anyone. Well, if it were me, there was always him making deals to get what he wanted! lol.”
Months later, John got a package from Bob: a Build-A-Bear labeled “Best Dad Ever,” with Dakota’s heartbeat recorded inside
Image credits: John Allen Lee Reid
“There are no words that can describe the feelings,” John says
Image credits: John Allen Lee Reid
John had a lot to say about receiving the bear from Bob: “It was incredible! There are no words that can describe the feelings. Just to hear it made it feel real that he lives on and gave Bob a 2nd chance. The bear sits on my dresser, and I see him every night. Still melts my heart when I press the paws to hear the heartbeat.”
John and Bob finally met in person the following months
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They bonded over celebrating Dakota's memory and legacy
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John and Bob pictured at the memorial cross where the accident occurred.
It was when prompted about the meeting between the two men that John really opened up about what this meant for remembering his son: “Bob was the most amazing experience ever! To hold the man with my son’s heart beating in his chest was truly amazing and a blessing. As I said before, seeing that Dakota always wanted to be there for people and help his friends in need, as they call it, rescuing a friend, this is exactly what he did for Bob and many others. So yes, he did live up to his legacy of being there for others more than himself.”
More than just that, the two families came together to celebrate Bob's second chance and Dakota's legacy
Image credits: John Allen Lee Reid
“So yes, he did live up to his legacy of being there for others more than himself”
Image credits: John Allen Lee Reid
John had a closing message for other families that may face the same tragedy and choice: “In the beginning, the first feeling is to be selfish and keep it all. Through the power of prayer and faith, God will give you comfort to make these decisions. Your loved ones can live on and be heroes in giving the gift of life to others.”
The two men even went on a ride together
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John and Bob going for a ride.
John hopes other families hear this message: it will hurt, but choosing to let your loved ones go and give someone a new lease on life heals
Image credits: John Allen Lee Reid
“Knowing that others like Bob get a 2nd chance from Dakota’s gift of life helped me and our family heal and helped us to grow stronger in our faith in God. Please know that in the beginning, I was mad at God and said horrible things to Him. He never turned away and stayed there by my side. I never wish any family to have to go through this, but I will tell you, giving the gift of life and letting your loved ones be the hero, is one hell of a way to send them on their way. It will still hurt, but not like the hurt of doing nothing. It’s a good hurt that will heal, knowing they live on in others whom they saved. God bless each and every one of you.”
